National will look to sell Landcorp farms if re-elected

A National government will look to sell state-owned Landcorp Farming farms if it is re-elected on Sept. 23, says primary industries spokesman Nathan Guy.

"The government owns a large number of commercial farms through Landcorp, but there is no clear public good coming from Crown ownership and little financial return to taxpayers," Guy said in a statement. The move is a more aggressive stance as the government has previously said it was committed to keeping Landcorp, which does buy and sell farms.

Landcorp, the nation's largest corporate farmer, was not immediately available for comment.

Guy said they will target young farming families and that farms will be awarded on a lease-to-buy arrangement, with leases awarded by a panel and ballot and prioritised towards young farmers who have experience at running a farming operation, and have not........